Spottedleaf's Return
by warriorsinthetardis
Summary: Being completely bored in math class, I began to write a fanfiction about what would happen if Spottedleaf had been resurrected, as Cinderpelt had. So it led to this. Watch Spottedleaf become Spottedtail as she relives her life from a whole new point of view. Will she reach the goal she wanted? Probably, because I just asked you. Enjoy!
1. Prologue

**SPOTTEDLEAF'S RETURN**  
**Prologue**

A tortoiseshell female padded through the ranks of StarClan, sparkling tears streaming down her face. Her amber eyes watched down on the cats, but she paid no attention to them. She turned and stared at Bluestar.

"I need it," she meowed seriously, puffing out her chest.

"I can't give it to you. There's a chance you may not come back," Bluestar sighed. "Or you may even end up in a different Clan, or millions of miles away from them."

"I don't care. I need him." In that moment, she looked down and, with a wave of her paw, the face of the cat she so adored appeared, shimmering, in the pool of water that circled StarClan's territory.

Sighing, Bluestar's eyes shone. "He has a mate, you know," she pondered.

"I don't care," Spottedleaf mewed stubbornly. "I just want to be able to see him in real life, not in just dreams." She shivered and stared down, her eyes beginning to gleam with a fresh set of tears.

"Okay," Bluestar sighed, and reached out into the air. She swiped her paw across nothing, and a ball of shining dust gleamed in her outstretched paw. It fell to the ground, appearing like a shining moss ball.

"Eat it," Bluestar commanded.

"What?!" Spottedleaf stepped back, appalled.

"Would you rather eat a stick?" Bluestar questioned.

"Okay, okay," Spottedleaf sighed, and reached down, chewing at the moss ball. She shivered.

Suddenly, a great flash of light filled all of StarClan. Bluestar shielded her eyes, because for all the stars in StarClan she'd never seen such a great light.

Then, with a burst of energy, Spottedleaf let out a shriek, and she was gone.

Bluestar sighed and stared at the now normal-looking, chewed-up moss ball. She stared down.

"Good-bye, old friend," she meowed, and walked away. "Danger awaits you."


	2. Chapter 1

To clear up any confusion, I'm only on The Darkest Hour. That's the 'present time' for me.

* * *

The tortoiseshell awoke to darkness. She shivered as a tongue rasped over her surprisingly soft fur. She struggled to open her eyes but her nerves refused to respond. Something urged her towards warmth. They want me to suckle! The thought made her uncomfortable, but she eventually did.

Then she heard his voice. "Willowpelt, they're beautiful," mewed Firestar. The tortoiseshell let out an exclamation of excitement, and Willowpelt snickered. "Excited, isn't she?"

Three other warm bodies brushed her fur. "Are you going to name them, Willowpelt?" "Yes."

"Sootkit." She nosed him. "Rainkit." Willowpelt did the same to him. "Sorrelkit." Willowpelt nosed the she-kit next to her, making her wriggle uncomfortably.

"And this one..." A warm muzzle touched her flank.

Firestar gasped. "She looks just like.. Spottedleaf." The leader's voice was edged with sadness.

The tortoiseshell let out a small mew of agreement, and she felt Willowpelt smile. "Alright, then. Spottedkit." Firestar laughed and ran outside of the den, leaving it in silence.

* * *

Two moons passed. Spottedkit sat outside, playing with Sorrelkit.

"Catch this!" Sorrelkit challenged, and tossed Spottedkit a warm mouse. She reached for it, but it rolled past her and onto Darkstripe, their older brother's, paw.

He forced a smile, and Spottedkit frowned. "Come on, Darkstripe! Don't be such a fun killer," she meowed.

"You should learn to be thankful for your prey," he mumbled, with an edge of frustration. With that, he turned towards the entrance.

"Wait, Darkstripe!" Sorrelkit called, and turned to Spottedkit. "Brackenfur's supposed to be watching him!" She then ran after him. Spottedkit trailed close behind.

The kits hid behind a bush. Sorrelkit let out a gasp and Spottedkit held her tail over her sister's mouth. "Shush!" she hissed quietly.

"He's talking to a ShadowClan warrior!" Spottedkit squeaked, her eyes wide.

"He can't do that!" Sorrelkit exclaimed, quickly silencing herself.

Darkstripe nodded to Blackfoot and walked away. Just then, Sorrelkit exploded from the bushes, Spottedkit mimicking her.

"Darkstripe!" Sorrelkit called, her eyes wide.

"Why are you talking to ShadowClan?!" Spottedkit challenged.

Darkstripe didn't answer. He instead turned, motioning for the kits to follow with a flick of his tail. He stopped near a bush with bright red berries.

"You two are great stalkers!" Darkstripe praised. "Now, I'd like to reward you; I'd never seen you two coming." Darkstripe carefully picked a pawful of the berries and placed some in front of each of the kits.

"Thanks, Darkstripe!" Sorrelkit mewed. Sorrelkit looked over at Spottedkit. Doubt clouded her eyes. Spottedkit knew something was wrong with these berries. Memories of her old life flashed before her. She shut her eyes, shivering. Spottedkit nodded. The kits chewed on the berries in unison. The sound of yowling filled her ears. She gasped, but her airways seemed to be closed as Graystripe fell down on Darkstripe.

It hit her with a pang. She had allowed herself and her sister to consume deathberries.

_StarClan, help us!_ Spottedkit thought as she was whisked into darkness.


	3. Chapter 2

A/N: I'm so proud of how this story has grown. I'm thinking of making more of these revival stories, what do you think? Maybe Bluestar or Hollyleaf? I don't know. Who do you want to see revived?

* * *

Spottedkit was standing in a field of stars. Her eyes gleamed with sadness and relief. She hadn't completed her goal, but she had ended up back in StarClan. She sat down and wailed.

Bluestar came up behind her. "What on earth were you thinking?!" Bluestar spat.

Spottedkit jumped and whipped around. "Bluestar, I'm sorry. I wasted my revival and lost it for what? A-a-a deathberry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I should have never left with Sorrelkit. I-"

"Hush." Bluestar drew her tail over her mouth. "You're just dreaming; I begged them not to claim you yet. Your sister is recovering as well."

"W-will she die?" Spottedkit queried.

"No, no. She's going to be just fine." Bluestar soothed. "For now, do you want me to show you around?"

Spottedkit hesitated. "Are you sure?" Spottedkit asked accusingly, flicking her tail.

"Yes, I promise. By StarClan, I swear." Bluestar mewed. Spottedkit thought she detected a hint of doubt, but she pushed it away.

"Would you like to visit Sorrelkit?" Bluestar asked, and Spottedkit nodded. The cats were plunged into darkness, and appeared next to the ginger kit, who was speaking to another unknown cat.

Sorrelkit turned. "Hi, Spottedkit!" she chimed. "This is Lionheart." A golden tabby with thick fur turned towards the tortoiseshell and Bluestar.

Bluestar and Lionheart touched noses. "I am glad you have been chosen to guide Sorrelkit," Bluestar sighed.

The StarClan cats suddenly began to fade, and Spottedkit pressed against her sister, fear coming off her in waves.

"You are awakening," Bluestar meowed.

"Take care, kits," the golden tabby called, and once they disappeared his voice echoed around the empty dream world.

* * *

Spottedkit gasped greatly. Her eyes shot open and her breathing slowed. Sorrelkit had begun to stir as well. Cinderpelt shot up and sighed.

"Willowpelt! Graystripe, Firestar! They're awake!"

Firestar skidded into the medicine den, followed by his best friend and the kits' mother.

Spottedkit tried to get up, but Cinderpelt placed a paw gently on her belly. "Don't strain yourself," the young medicine cat urged, and Spottedkit paused.

Firestar looked at Spottedkit. His eyes were soft and kind as he turned his gaze to Sorrelkit.

"Sorrelkit, Spottedkit, what happened?" Firestar asked, his eyes gleaming with hope.

"Darkstripe left without Brackenfur," Sorrelkit began.

"So we went to go tell him he needed Brackenfur with him." Spottedkit continued.

"We caught up with him, and.."

"He was on the ShadowClan border!"

"He was talking to a big, white cat with black paws."

"He was scary."

Firestar and Graystripe exchanged glances. "Blackfoot," Graystripe mewed, and signaled for them to continue.

"When he finished speaking," Spottedkit meowed.

"He turned around." Sorrelkit sighed.

"We confronted him, but he wasn't angry."

"He actually said we were clever!"

"And he rewarded us with these red berries."

"They looked yummy, but they made me really sick."

"Me too," Spottedkit finished. "And the last thing we remember is waking up here."

Willowpelt gasped and fussed over the two kits.

Graystripe turned to Firestar. "I told you! Darkstripe is a fox-hearted murderer!"

Firestar nodded. "I want no more harm to be done to anyone. Especially these kits," he mewed.

"Yes! Please. I don't want any cats dying or getting badly hurt because of him."

"Alright."

The pair exited the den. Cinderpelt turned to Spottedkit.

"You are special," the smoky-gray she-cat whispered in her ear. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

Spottedkit recoiled, shocked. It was as if nothing from her old life remained but her connection with StarClan, and she could think, in the moment, of no reason why she was specifically special.

_Do not forget_, a familiar voice whispered in her mind, _why you have returned. Not only were you sent back for your own selfishness._

The tortoiseshell froze, her mind spinning. Then she resumed to lie down on the soft moss in Cinderpelt's den, Bluestar's words echoing in her mind.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: Apples. I'm making a story about Hawkfrost's revival next!

Enjoy. Sorry this chapter took forever and a half years.

* * *

"Wake up!" Sorrelkit yelled, smiling.

"What? What?" Spottedkit sat up, groaning. "What's wrong?"

"Today's the day! It's today!"

"What?" Spottedkit groaned.

"The day!"

Seeing that this conversation was getting absolutely nowhere, the young tortoiseshell got to her paws. Willowpelt began grooming her furiously. Spottedkit was confused; what was all the fuss?

"Wow!" Rainkit marveled from outside the nursery. "The patrol caught six pieces of prey, Sootkit!"

Six. Suddenly Spottedkit remembered.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey meet beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting," called Firestar.

The four kits excitedly emerged from the den. Firestar laid his eyes on them and smiled, purring.

"Firestar's never been this excited about appointing new apprentices," meowed Willowpelt.

Firestar quickly scanned over the four kits and motioned for them to come forward with a paw. Spottedkit eagerly ran towards her leader.

_Remember..._

The kit paused.

_I do not wish for you to relive your life perfectly as it was._

She felt a sudden urge to walk to the medicine den, and beg to be Cinderpelt's apprentice. But she also felt that she needed to walk...no, run...the path to being a warrior, to change.

A moment later, she found herself in the crack of a rock where Cinderpelt made her nest. Memories flooded into her mind, and she stumbled dizzily into Cinderpelt.

"Oh, sorry, Spottedkit!" Cinderpelt meowed, looking at her. Then she looked outside. "Shouldn't you be out there?"

"I-I should! But..." The tortoiseshell took a deep breath. "I want to be your apprentice."

Cinderpelt froze. "Being a medicine cat takes dedication and focus. You must train hard to remember all the herbs, and be able to contact StarClan in times of need. You must be able to focus in case of a real emergency, and you must give up many things. Like having a family. And being able to hunt and fight for your Clan..." Her wistful voice trailed off.

Spottedkit blinked thoughtfully. "Okay." She stood up tall.

"Your littermates have already been made apprentices," Cinderpelt noted.

"Spottedkit." Firestar's call rang across the clearing, but the tortoiseshell didn't move.

"Firestar." Cinderpelt called her leader's attention, then continued, "she wants to be my apprentice."

The leader's eyes widened. "Really?" He sounded a bit disappointed, almost upset, but he nodded. "That's great, I guess."

Cinderpelt nodded, looking thoughtfully at Spottedkit.

_My friend, follow the path StarClan have laid out for you._ Spottedkit's mind reeled with the voice. She stepped up to the Highrock confidently.

* * *

"Fetch me the burdock!" Cinderpelt's mew stopped the tortoiseshell in her steps.

"Hold _on_!" A hiss escaped Spottedpaw's lips. Saliva edged at her mouth; speaking with jaws full of herbs was not smart.

"Don't talk to me like that!" Cinderpelt hissed, a growl in her throat."I just need some stupid roots!"

By this time, Sorrelpaw had looked over at Spottedpaw. "You okay?"

"Y-yeah," she replied hesitantly.

"Sure?"

"Sure." Spottedpaw dropped the roots at Cinderpelt's paws, then turned, a growl erupting from her. She thought being medicine apprentice would be a fun learning experience, but all she was doing was Cinderpelt's dirty work. Today would be the half-moon; today Spottedpaw would be able to be received by StarClan as a medicine apprentice. If this is what if felt like, she'd much rather be stuck being a warrior apprentice.

The young tortoiseshell heard laughing in the clearing. She poked her head out. A pang of sorrow smacked her as she saw Sootpaw and Rainpaw tussling in the clearing.

"Hi, Spottedpaw!" Sootpaw exclaimed, purring.

"I was just beating Sootpaw," Rainpaw noted, then knocked the distracted apprentice over.

"That wasn't fair!" Sootpaw pouted.

"Wanna join us, Spottedpaw?" Rainpaw completely ignored Sootpaw's whine.

For a second, Spottedpaw longed to tumble with her littermates again, just like old times. But she shook the thought away. As much as she loathed it, being medicine apprentice was her destiny. That's what she thought, anyway.

"Just... Don't hurt each other, okay? It's almost leaf-bare, and we're running low on herbs already." Spottedpaw hated the sophistication in her voice, but she felt it necessary.

Was it?

* * *

Once again, I'm SO sorry for how long this took! But I'm sure Hawkfrost's Revenge will make up for it! I'm also working on a story of Survivors, so this should be good_. Real _good_._

Peace off!


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm really proud of this story (:

Give me ideas of what to do next because I'm clueless!

* * *

Cinderpelt stood by the entrance to the camp, watching the sun on the horizon. She stared at Spottedpaw, and a smile crossed her face.

"Alright, ready?" Her question was sort of rhetorical, for both cats knew that Spottedpaw was indeed ready.

"Yeah!" the young apprentice answered anyway.

"Okay, let's go." The two cats headed off. Spottedpaw could feel eyes piercing her fur. My friend... She resisted the urge to turn around.

"Cinderpelt, is the Moonpool... cool?" Spottedpaw asked.

"I guess, yeah," Cinderpelt replied.

The cats stopped at the border between ThunderClan and WindClan.

"Wh.. Why did we-"

Cinderpelt shoved her tail over Spottedpaw's mouth. She scented the air and sighed in relief.

"It's just Barkface," she sighed as a cat emerged from the bushes. He was a tall, slender brown tom with a short tail.

Spottedpaw instinctively dipped her head. Barkface smiled, amused, and did the same. "A new apprentice, Cinderpelt, I presume?"

Cinderpelt nodded. "Indeed. This is Spottedpaw."

ShadowClan scent filled the air as a tom emerged from the bushes to the right. He looked like he couldn't even cure his own cold, so why should he be able to cure those of others?

"Hello, Runningnose." Cinderpelt's head dipped, so Spottedpaw did the same.

Then came a scraggly, long haired brown tom. "Mudfur."

"Hello to you all," Spottedpaw greeted. Then she looked at Cinderpelt. "I think I might just want to go last," she whispered.

They walked in a group through WindClan territory, where they met up with a patrol who nodded at them slightly before letting them pass. Spottedpaw felt odd on another cat's territory, with other cats from other Clans. It felt wrong.

Then Cinderpelt, who was in front of her, stopped abruptly. "We're here."

Spottedpaw looked up. The hugest structure of rock and stone she'd ever seen was in front of her. She gaped, her jaw slack. "This is Mothermouth?! Wow. Much bigger than I'd expected."

The group walked on towards the cave. Cinderpelt paused again. "Spottedpaw, we aren't to speak in the cave. We aren't to speak about are dreams unless we feel they must be shared. Are we clear?" Spottedpaw gave a nod.

"Good." They walked into the cave. It narrowed into a small tunnel. Two cats couldn't walk side by side here, Spottedpaw realized, for her whiskers brushed the sides of the tunnel, making her shiver.

The tunnel opened up into a large area of space. Spottedpaw looked up; a small hole gave access to a small amount of starlight. She looked to the middle of the room. _What now?_

Then a great flash of light lit up the small room. Spottedpaw squinted. The light reminded her of something, and for some reason the thought of moss appeared in her mind. She shook it away. The medicine cats gathered around the large stone. _The Moonstone..._

"Spottedpaw." Cinderpelt's voice echoed in the cave. "Is it your wish to enter the mysteries of StarClan as a medicine cat?"

Spottedpaw felt the eyes of the cats burning into her fur. "Yes. I-it is."

"Then come forward." Spottedpaw did as she was told.

"Warriors of StarClan, I present you with this apprentice. She has chosen the path of a medicine cat. Grant her your wisdom and insight so that she may understand your ways and heal her Clan in accordance with your will."

Spottedpaw, though being praised, felt sort of out-of-place. All of these cats were making her feel odd, and although she had a burning passion for healing she longed to run out in the forest, to live her life as a warrior. But it couldn't be done now.

As she sank deep into a StarClan, Moonstone-induced dream, this one question reeled in her mind.

_Could_ something be done?

* * *

Thanks for all your support in this! I really do need ideas though. Writers block. :/


	6. Chapter 5

A/N: I'm gonna try to post more often from now on.

Enjoy!

* * *

Spottedpaw and Cinderpelt arrived early in the morning to the ThunderClan camp. Spottedpaw's eyes hung with sheer tiredness as she walked through the gorse barrier.

Graystripe exited the camp in distress.

"What's wrong?" Cinderpelt's voice was full of concern.

The grey warrior sighed in relief. "Thank StarClan. Firestar's really worried about Sandstorm; she might be kitting soon. He's really worried... I-I've never seen him like this before."

Spottedpaw gasped. Sandstorm couldn't kit without the medicine cats, could she? Cinderpelt sighed, nodding. "Let's go."

Spottedpaw's eyes met the nursery as soon as she clambered inside the camp. Sandstorm's howls were enough to chase all the prey away for a moon. Cinderpelt was already in the den by that time, so Spottedpaw began to gather together the herbs.

"Okay, okay, uh.." Her mind was blank. "A-a stick.. And raspberry leaves." She gathered the items and placed them next to Cinderpelt. Sandstorm let out another howl, and a shiver went through her body.

Cinderpelt picked up the leaves and gave them to the queen. "Chew and swallow," she stated calmly, and as the queen did so she suppressed another howl of pain.

"Bite down when it hurts," Cinderpelt commanded softly, giving her the stick once she'd swallowed.

Spottedpaw was watching it all in fear. Fear for the queen, for the kits, for herself; would she ruin the whole thing?

She sighed, turning around. She did not want to watch this.

Howling, yelling, and "It'll be over soon" came from the medicine den.

Then tiny little yowls. Spottedpaw looked up to see Firestar pushing his way into the medicine den. He met Spottedpaw's eyes and smiled, nodding. "Hi," he greeted briefly.

Spottedpaw couldn't help blushing. She moved out of the way then turned to see Sandstorm curled around two wriggling bundles. "Lick them the wrong way," Cinderpelt was saying. "They'll get warmer."

Sandstorm had a wide smile on her face. She chuckled as one ginger kit attempted to wail, but found herself making a tiny squeak.

"Two she-kits," Cinderpelt breathed.

"They're beautiful." Firestar sounded on the verge of joyful tears, and Sandstorm intertwined her tail with his.

Spottedpaw smiled.

"What are their names going to be?" Firestar asked.

"I was thinking this one could be Squirrelkit," Sandstorm replied, a smile crossing her lips as the kit's bushy tail made the other sneeze.

"The other one looks like Leafstar," Firestar commented about the SkyClan leader he'd helped not long ago.

"Leafkit, then?" Sandstorm smiled. "I like that."

Cinderpelt purred slightly at the sight of Leafkit. The little one had already made an appeal to her.

"They should open their eyes in at least three days," Cinderpelt pointed out.

"That's perfect," Sandstorm meowed.

Spottedpaw looked at the little kits, her eyes wide in admiration. She felt a tail brush her shoulder.

"That's going to happen many more times," Cinderpelt advised. "Is it too much for you?"

"A little stressful," Spottedpaw admitted. "But I might be able to manage."

_I won't have to if any of these kits seems interested in herbs_, Spottedpaw thought. She didn't hate being medicine cat, but it just seemed so tough! She could barely learn all the herbs; grabbing the raspberry leaves a few moments ago had just been pure luck.

Cinderpelt looked at the young apprentice. "You deserve to rest."

Spottedpaw sighed. Sleep would be greatly appreciated. As she curled into her nest, the voice rang in her head.

_My friend..._

* * *

Spottedpaw jerked up in a place that was not ThunderClan, nor was it StarClan. In fact, there were no stars at all. Little light came from a dimly shining moon covered by wispy clouds. She heard a rasping but powerful voice.

"Spottedpaw." She heard her name being spat in an echo.

The voice she'd always heard, along with the scent that came with it, sounded behind her. "Do not go over there!"

Her curiosity urged her to keep walking, but her sense told her to follow the calming sounds of the other voice. She stepped forward, then turned.

"Look at me!" The voice no longer rasped, but was still powerful, replaced with loud and booming hollering.

Spottedpaw's head turned. She bit her tongue. She had been alive when this cat had, and he'd caused trouble that made all of ThunderClan suffer.

"Tigerstar," she whispered, then shut her mouth.

"Come over here," Tigerstar commanded.

"Don't!" The female voice echoed in her mind. She trusted this voice, and she knew Tigerstar's was a bad one, but maybe he had to tell her something important. Still, she turned to the voice, but she looked back at the leader, whose eyes were blazing with fury.

_I will_, she mouthed, and hurried toward the female.

It was the cat she'd seen before, the cat who'd helped her become herself after the death berry incident, who'd helped her become herself in the first place.

"Bluestar," she thought out loud. The leader replied with a nod.

"You are not to go over there. That is the Place of No Stars, where the bad cats go when they die. They do not deserve StarClan, do they? No," she began, "so they go there. That is a dangerous place, Spottedpaw, and I do not want you over there. Please promise me?"

Spottedpaw nodded uncertainly.

Bluestar stepped closer, a sad smile on her face. "You're drifting farther away from what you were meant to do in this life," she meowed.

Spottedpaw was overwhelmed by a series of memories. She was reminded of a cat looking like Firestar as an apprentice, feeling longing deep in her heart as she fought against it to fulfill her duty.

"I know how much trouble you're having," Bluestar sighed, "and I know you would be much happier going through your life as a warrior."

Spottedpaw was filled with emotion. How would she tell Cinderpelt? Would she break the medicine cat's heart? She felt reluctant.

"You need to tell Firestar the truth. Come out with it." Her voice was now no more than a whisper.

"What do I tell him?" Spottedpaw felt on the verge of tears and she didn't know why.

"Tell him straight. 'I am Spottedleaf.'"

As if on cue, the starry leader began to fade.

"Tell him what I've told you. And may all of StarClan be with you."

Then StarClan disappeared, and Bluestar's voice echoed in the empty mind of Spottedpaw.

* * *

I was thinking of doing the next chapter from Firestar's point of view just to make it a little bit more snazzy c:

What do you guys think? Leave a good review below!

Thanks,

~WITT


End file.
